RAF Hednesford

For all ex RAF personnel National serviceman and Regulars, WAAF and WRAF who served within the period 1939 to 1965 as covered by the 2 National Service Acts of Parliament. Over 30 Lunch time Groups / Branches up and running across the UK.

For further info about the Association, REUNION activities etc and membership contact: Mr P G Honey. 01782 516887 or E Mail: pgh87@talktalk.net or see our Web site: www.nsrafa.org******************Advance notice: 2016 NS(RAF)A AGM will be held at 16.30 hrs at "The Tillington Hall Hotel" Stafford on Friday 2nd September 2016.A full weekend is on offer - including Saturday trip out to a place of interest.Sat evening Gala Dinner in the presence of The Worshipful, Mayor of Stafford.Sunday at the National Memorial at ALREWAS.Parade led by a Pipe Band, followed by a Service of Remembrance and wreath laying on the National Monument, and the National Service Obelisk. BBMF Lancaster and Escorts bookedAny ex RAF Personnel/ ex Army and Navy Veterans and Standard Bearers are invited to join us for the Parade at 11.00 hrs.Info Mr Honey: tel: 01782 516887 or e mail: pgh87@talktalk.netHotel and package weekend details and booking from:. IOW Tours, Tel: 01983 405116. or e mail: enquiries@iowtours.com****************

WELLESBOURNE AIRFIELD REDEVELOPMENT.

The airfield was formerly the RAF station RAF Wellesboume Mountford and islocated about 4 miles east of Stratford-Upon - Avon near Charlecote a National Trustproperty. Today the airfield has a CAA Licence that allows flights for the public, flying training and has about 60 odd private aircraft based there.The airfield is also home to the Wellesbourne Wartime Museum including an AvroVulcan bomber. I would also have to mention Touchdown cafe very popular with the pilots and the public and from where you are able to watch all the flying.The airfield is under threat as Stratford Council has received a proposal from adeveloper to cease all aviation and market operations and build 1600 homes onthe site.RAF Wellesboume during WW11 was a bomber station and from 1950 to 1964 was a training station to ~ School of Photography, RAF School of Education and the Depot for 5003 Sqd Airfield Construction Branch. I am appealing on behalf of Wellesboume Matters Association who need support to fight the proposed development. So if any of my fellow National Service recruits who served or attended any of the training courses would like to help, please contact for a joining form the address below. (Joining fee 0.5Op plus a contribution to the fund).Wellesbourne Matters. C/O Cherry Orchard Cottage.Cherry Orchard.Wellesbourne.CV35 9NB.www. wellsbournematters.co.ukIt would be a great tragedy if another historical RAF airfield was lost to a building development. The development will bring further employment but is counter balanced by the loss of personal working on the airfield.I have to confess I have a sentimental interest in Wellesbou:rne as I served most of my National Service in the pay section there in 1956 /1957. 2772506 Ron North. Tel: 0121 7777424.****************

Hero's repatriation:

The leviathan of the sky does landIn Englands green and pleasant land.It's cargo more precious than goldThe body of a Hero, bold.

Once the Giants engines stoppedThe cargo ramp is is gently droppedCarried by six on shoulders trueThe Hero is saluted by the crew.

The coffin draped in Union JackIs slowly carried out the back.Out of the dark and into lightSlowly down the ramp and to the right.

The six approach the hearse all blackAnd place the Hero gently in the back.The six then turn and march awayTheir duty has been done this day.

Politicians have much to sayNo sign of them near here this day !They hide away and out of danger,Much easier if the Hero is a stranger.

The hearse with its precious loadMoves slowly out on to the road.The floral tributes line the routeWhile comrades snap a smart salute.

At the edge of a Wiltshire townThe cortege slows its pace right down.The streets are packed, many deepSome throw flowers, most just weep.

The crowd have come to say farewell,The church bell rings a low death knell.Regimental standards are lowered downAs the Hero passes through the town.

The cortege stops and silence reignsThe townsfolk feel the families pain.The Nations flag lowered to half mastOur brave Hero is home at last.***

Staff Sgt Andy McFarlane wrote this on the flight home reflecting on his Comrades who had paid the ultimate sacrifice and were being flown back for burial. 2009.******************

H M Armed Forces Veterans Lapel Badge.

Free (on application to the Veterans Agency) to all Men and Women who Served in HM Armed Forces up to and including 31st December 1984.It is regretted that the Badge cannot be issued posthumously as it is a Survivors Badge which is to be worn on civilian clothing.Application form is available for downloading from the Veterans Agency website.Postal: Veterans Agency (Veterans Badge), Thornton Cleveleys, Norcross, Blackpool. FY5 3WP.E Mail: help@veteransagency.gsi.goc.uk Fax: 01253 330561.Free helpline: 0800 169 2277 (UK only). 44 1253 866043 (overseas).*****************

RAF Bomber Command AppealThe Telegraph has joined the Bomber Command Association to help raise funds to erect a permanent memorial to the 55,000 bomber aircrew killed in the Second World War.The forgotten heroes who deserve a memorialTelegraph Media Group has launched a major fundraising campaign to build a memorial to the forgotten heroes of the Second World War - the men of Bomber Command. Of all the branches of the armed forces, they faced the deadliest odds, with 55,573 killed, almost half of all those who flew on operations over Nazi Germany and occupied Europe. Yet nearly 70 years on, their sacrifice remains unrecognised by any monument.RAF Bomber Command Appeal: Donate by chequeTo contribute now to the Bomber Command Memorial Fund please send a cheque, payable to Bomber Command Memorial Fund to:Doug Radcliffe MBE.The SecretaryBomber Command AssociationRAF MuseumGrahame Park WayHendonLondonNW9 5RRTel: 020 8358 4841Website information links:

If members of the NSRAFA are interested, the acclaimed ITV comedy series "Get Some In", based on National Service in the RAF in the 1950s, is now available for the first time on DVD.

The DVD of the first series has a running time of 3 hours 20 minutes. It features the first seven episodes and costs &pound14.99. The order code is 131568, and orders can be phoned in, using a credit/debit card, on 0845 122 0315. Alternatively, the website for ordering from Simply Home Entertainment is: www.simplyhe.co.uk ***************

Royal Air Force tartan. Designed by Arthur Mackie who served as a pilot from 1942 to 1947 after which he moved into the textile industry in mill management and latterly into tartan design and is the founder member of a new business called MacTartan promoting the tartan on a worldwide basis.The origin of the tartan is best described in the letter below that Arthur wrote some time back:-The particular colours in the design can be interpreted in many of ways.When I designed the tartan, I had in mind all those like me who had served in the Force in both peace and war and the colours which I chose were symbolic of the boys and girls in blue.Bearing in mind the principle function of the RAF is to safeguard us all from the skies above, both at night and during the day; it was not difficult to choose blues to describe the changing moods of the skies above. If you can visualise from the darkest night to the dawn and daylight beyond, you can get a variance of blues, with a red stripe to represent the blood of those who protected our skies, to the white of peace which we hope prevails.The only colour left is Royal Blue, my accolade to those who went before me and those who will continue to uphold the tradition of all who still serve.Per Ardua ad Astra: "Through adversity to the stars".We supply made to measure trousers,trews, kilts, skirts and ties , bow ties ,shawls, scarfs, cummerbunds and custom make a number of unusual items.If you want to know more come visit us at www.mactartan.co.uk OR Tel: Arthur Mackie on 01307 463 870 or Brian Redwood at 01575 570081 or email arthur.mackie@mactartan.co.uk or brian.redwood@mactartan.co.uk.********************

Want to access your Service Records ? Write to:-DPA Room 220,Trenchard Hall,RAF Cranwell,Sleaford,Lincs,NG34 8HB.Enclosing details of your service number, and possibly, address at that time. One of our members told me they also need proof of identity, such as copies of either, passport, utility bills or driving licence********************

Publications exist which are of interest to all ex ERKS and can be bought:Long Lost: The Story of the Newspaper Column that Started the Reunion Industry, by Monica Porter, published by Quartet Books at &pound12. Monica Porter's weekly Missing and Found column has been running in the Daily Mail since 1999, featuring the tales of people who are searching for their long lost friends, relatives, former workmates, schoolmates, wartime comrades...and of course, National Service buddies. All of life is there - the light-hearted and the poignant, and often the strikingly evocative. Over the years the column - a forerunner to websites such as Friends Reunited and Forces Reunited - has re-connected many hundreds of people. Now it has been immortalised in a book, Long Lost. As well as reprising a selection of the column's most colourful reunion tales, Long Lost tells the story behind the groundbreaking newspaper column and explains how it works 'behind the scenes'. It also provides an overview of today's booming 'reunion industry', and a handy guide for tracing someone yourself. Monica Porter has been a London-based journalist since the 1970s and her work has appeared in most quality Fleet Street newspapers, as well as numerous magazines. Long Lost is her fourth book. www.monicaporter.co.uk. *****************

Mr C J Whitehouse, the co-author and Publisher of a booklet entitled Kitbag Hill which includes a potted history of RAF Hednesford and his account of times remembered by a National Serviceman. (ISBN 0 9512903 0 4 on which Copyright still exists) from: Marquis Drive Visitor Centre. Brindley Heath Road. Hednesford. Staffordshire. WS12 4PW. Tel: 01543 878690 enclosing &pound6 to cover cost and Postage etc.This is now out of print but I have requests to pass on any copies I can find: so if you have a spare copy please let me know and I will pass it on: Mr Honey: 01782 516887 or e mail: pgh87@talktalk.net. *********************An Erk's-Eye View - Memories of National Service in the R A F 1952-54 by Ted Caton (ISBN 0 9533030 0 4). at a cost of &pound7.50, plus �1. p & p. Please send a cheque for &pound8.50 (payable to E Caton) at 108 Moulsham Drive, Chelmsford, Essex CM2 9PZ.and:Sweet Water Blues - Memories of National Service in the RAF by John Mitchell at a cost of &pound9.95 plus &pound1 p & p. Please send a cheque for &pound10.95 (payable to Mr J Mitchell) at 7 Hanbury Drive, Winchmore Hill, London. N21 1SZ. *****************White Knees - Brown Knees The ISBN is 0-905389-01-8 hard covers.287pp. 150 photographs. Price &pound15.99 inc P and P in UK. Add &pound7 to this figure for overseas airmail service.The Tome weighs a Kilogram.Enquiries and orders to Douglas J Findlay, Glenesk, Canonbie, Dumfriesshire, DG14 0SZ.For those who served in the Canal Zone information on where and when you served and your unit or regiment and your nickname at that time would help the author to personalise a dedication in your copy.Voice copies of the book are available to blind persons in South Africa via Tape Aids for the Blind.**************In defence of The RealmAn "erk-some" account of National Service in the Royal Air Force. 1954 to 1956.By Peter Voyce. &pound10 inc p @ p to Peter Voyce, 24 Churchdale Road.Frechville, Sheffield. S12 4XT. .*****************